Monday, March 29, 2010

Well, here I am straggling in and worse for wear. I've been a busy girl, but I've looked longingly in this direction many times over the past few weeks.

First, it was time to get new computers. So I decided that it would be a great idea to move from Windows to Macs. And, like any fool who rushes off where Angels fear to tread I leaped head-first and purchased two Mac Minis. One for me and one for my better half.

Long story short-er...HIS Mac Mini worked just fine, thank you.MY Mac Mini didn't even recognize an Apple keyboard. Additionally, it made weird sounds and did strange stuff - don't ask what because at this late date I can't remember. I returned my Mini and it was promptly replaced by a new one. This one ALSO doesn't recognize the Apple keyboard - (but it does perform the various special keyboard functions where the first one didn't). I think it must be me. I'm doomed or something. Bad Karma. Or Dogma. Or something. But I kept the second Mac Mini and it's sitting downstairs right now in the "off" position. Yes, Yes, I know. There it is in all its tiny white sandwich-sized glory all hooked up to a brand new wide-screen HP monitor and doing absolutely nothing. You can't wait to hear why, can you?

Here's why: I then had the great notion that it would just be way cool to have a laptop and so I bought myself a Macbook Pro. Now THAT was a notion. I absolutely love this thing. I've completely abandoned the Mini and now do everything on the MBP. I swear, this is the coolest thing since....since....catfish and hushpuppies! If I had known I would like it so much I would have gotten myself one of these things years ago.

Well, that's the good stuff. The other stuff isn't so much fun. And I am, it is fair to say, completely worn out. I've been spending my hours and days purchasing a house - sight unseen - in another state because there is someone there who was just this side of homeless and needed a place to live. Besides the house, I've tried to help with cash. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get money into the hands of someone who desperately needs it NOW but is overdrawn in the bank account? It's nearly impossible. No wonder the poor have such a helluva time. They are simply hit with charges and fees from all sides. If you send a check, the bank will just deduct the overdraft and then put a 10-day hold on the rest of it while the person in need gets further and further behind with everything else. I ended up sending cash by Western Union. THAT is costly, I can tell you. FedEx-ing it isn't much cheaper. I've since learned of a way to do a person-to-person bank transfer, but the person on the other end has to sign up for it - and, in this case, the person on the other end got it completely muffed and so far hasn't been able to straighten it out. But we'll get there.

As with anything, there are always problems. In this case, there is a lack of water pressure in the bathtub and shower. This will have to be fixed. There was no refrigerator so I purchased one and had it delivered. The delivery people tore the new vinyl in the kitchen when they placed the fridge. Exasperating. Maybe it can be fixed. I'm a couple thousand miles away and can't see any of this. I also bought a washer and dryer and was told they wouldn't hook up the washer because a hole had to be knocked into the wall for the drain. Yikes! I've since learned that it's just a cut-out that needs to be removed. I'm praying to whatever gods there be that when the cut out is, indeed, cut out there will actually be a drain pipe beneath it so the washer can drain.

Problems aside, I did manage to luck into what appears to be a cute little house that was just renovated from the studs out. It had been flooded during Katrina. So it has new everything. But it's been terribly difficult and exhausting trying to manage something from so far away. I'm still not finished, of course. There is the matter of documents destroyed during Katrina such that I'm having problems getting the needed information for flood insurance - just in case things ever get that bad again. And other things have to settle into place as well. Insurance is one of them. And insurance is a pain. It always feels like I'm betting against myself - or, in this case, against nutcases and nature. So maybe, if I stop and think about it, insurance is a good thing for this particular application.

The stupidest problem is one that makes me shudder. The people who put in the kitchen cabinets did not take into account that the drawer and cabinet door just around the corner from the stove would work a lot better if they could actually open. But no.... somebody forgot to measure - or just wasn't paying attention to his job - and the drawer and door are blocked from opening by the handle on the oven door. Just makes you want to strangle somebody. That is going to require a cabinet-maker to take a look and see if a fix can be made.

Well, I told you I had good reasons for being absent. I hope these reasons pass the test. I've thought about returning sooner, but I've been up and down. Mostly down. Depression has a way of sneaking up on me and just crushing me. There are times I feel absolutely friendless and worthless. There are times I tear up and just can't hold it back.

But the sun shines and the mountains are lovely all snow-capped and gleaming there in my panoramic view. My kitty is warm and fuzzy and she loves me even when the world doesn't. And I have Heath Klondike Bars in the freezer so things can't be all bad.

I've missed you all - and will try to get around to reading your blogs. I'm still, as I said, busy with business-at-a-distance but I'll try.

This next month or two is going to be filled with busy-ness since my better half is retiring. Paperwork to be filled out and notarized regarding his pension selections. Even though they are tiny, we still have to do the paperwork properly to get them. AND...I have to stand guard at the garage door to be sure he doesn't keep bringing STUFF and STUFF and STUFF home from his apartment that he has kept in the city while he's working. I swear if one more gadgety thing comes into this house I will next be posting from solitary confinement in the nearest prison.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Launch postponed due to a myriad of problems. You won't believe all the sticky valves and gummy defective O rings I've been dealing with here. But I miss all of you ... and I see you out there Silver Fox! My day made happier when I saw your handsome face in my "lineup".

Anywho, I have good reasons and I do look forward to coming back. I just have to take care of some important stuff first. All of you take care of yourselves till I get back!